EVENTS

HPCI SOUH AFRICA OFFERS ACCESS TO AN IMPORTANT GROWTH MARKET

The second edition of HPCI South Africa will again be held in conjunction with the annual scientific conference of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (Coschem). Both events are scheduled to take place in South Africa on 9 and 10 September at Gallagher Convention Centre, located in Gauteng.

HPCI is exclusively devoted to ingredients for home and personal care products, particularly those unique to the African continent. The expo made its debut in South Africa in 2019, where it opened with 87 exhibitors, including representation from international companies, and was attended by more than 500 experts and buyers from the household products and personal care markets. Visitors and exhibitors were equally satisfied with this premiere.

The 2020 instalment of the exhibition provides an ideal opportunity for African and international suppliers, manufacturers and agents to network whilst stimulating growth and trade. As South Africa is the gateway to Africa, participants from all over the continent as well as a global contingency are expected to visit this year’s expo. Major South African and international suppliers have already announced their participation.

SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE The Coschem scientific conference will offer an extensive programme of lectures focusing on the dissemination of scientific information, in line with the theme ‘2020 The Beauty Odyssey’. Speakers from South Africa and other global markets will share presentations outlining new research, developments and new materials that can be brought to market. Coschem has announced the call for papers and posters for the annual scientific conference. If you are interested in presenting a paper or poster at the conference, kindly send an email to bridget@coschem.co.za for more information on submitting your abstract. The deadline for submissions is 22 June.

Conference registrations are also open with the early bird registration rate on offer until 17 July. Another highlight of the conference is the annual gala dinner, which takes place on 10 September at Montecasino in Johannesburg, South Africa. The theme for this year’s gala dinner is the Greatest Showman.

SAFETY ASSESSOR SEMINAR Additional educational content will be provided by the DGK/IKW safety assessor seminar. This seminar is organised with the support of the Cosmetic, Toiletries & Fragrance Association South Africa.

HOME CARE IN FOCUS New in 2020 at HPCI South Africa is a seminar on the show floor, devoted exclusively to detergents and home care products. At this exclusive event, the latest developments in surfactants and sustainable formulations for household products will be introduced. Innovative exhibiting companies as well as academic or governmental research institutes are invited and strongly encouraged to submit abstracts for the home care seminar.

The organisers have announced the call high-level technical presentations, showcasing latest research and results that highlight advancements in ingredients, formulations, legislation and safety pertinent to the home care market. The deadline for title and abstract submissions is 31 May; notifications of acceptance will be distributed by 15 June. Interested parties should send an email to sonja.schulte@vincentz.net to submit their title and abstract of 250 words.

The Coschem Conference together with the HPCI South Africa exhibition offer a truly exclusive and unique opportunity to meet peers from many African countries and gain new insights in the innovations of the industry. Exhibitors can also book space.•

REASONS TO ATTEND HPCI SOUTH AFRICA: 6

• keep on top of ingredients trends • compare and source new products and services • save time and minimise formulation costs • gain access to industry thought leaders • network and connect with peers • fuel your creativity.

In-cosmetics celebrates 30 years of innovation

The world’s leading cosmetics and personal care event, incosmetics Global is set to break records when it returns to Barcelona for its 30th Birthday. In light of COVID-19, the original show dates have been rescheduled to 30 June to 2 July.

Cathy Laporte, portfolio director at Reed Exhibitions, says: ‘The health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors and staff are our number one priority. After many weeks monitoring the evolving situation around COVID-19 and the notices issued by the World Health Organization and other relevant governments and authorities from the region, and in close coordination with all partners involved, we have decided to postpone the event to June.’ Laporte says the decision has been difficult because of the major importance of this event to the personal care industry. ‘We believe it is the best course of action for all involved to ensure we can deliver a high-quality business event later in the year which provides value to both our exhibitors and attendees. We look forward to returning to Barcelona at the end of June and thank our exhibitors, partners, suppliers and visitors for their support during this challenging time,’ she adds.

GLOBAL GROWTH AND MARKET TRENDS Growth in the beauty and personal care industry reached a decade high last year and is set to continue unabated, according to Euromonitor. In fact, the value of the global cosmetics products market is expected to reach USD 805.61 billion by 2023, propelled by major trends such as conscious consumerism, advancements in beauty technology and the rise of ‘skintellectuals’. It’s against this backdrop that in-cosmetics Global, the world’s leading personal care ingredients event, returns to Barcelona in 2020. The event will be hosted in the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region for the sixth time in the show’s three-decade history, having previously taken place in other major cities across Europe, including London, Paris, Milan and Amsterdam. The world-renowned event – which welcomed over 12 000 visitors in 2019 – offers R&D professionals an unrivalled opportunity to source the latest ingredients, network with key suppliers and learn about the trends shaping the beauty and personal care industry.

AN INTERNATIONAL LINE-UP At the centre of the event is an exceptional line-up of exhibitors, many of which return year on year to showcase their latest innovative ingredients and services at the show. For its debut, incosmetics (as it was originally called) hosted just 60 exhibitors – a number which has grown significantly, with 843 companies taking part in the 2019 edition. Continuing this momentum, this year the exhibitor line-up is expected to include 95% of the industry’s biggest names, including the likes of Croda, Ashland and Clariant. The 2020 show is also set to welcome a host of first-time exhibitors, ensuring visitors have an opportunity to meet suppliers of all levels in the industry.

LEADING EDUCATION PROGRAMME The expo has also become synonymous with opportunities to gain extensive market intelligence as well as trends, facts, figures, industry analysis and research data from all corners of the personal care industry.

First launched at the turn of the millennium, the Marketing Trends Theatre continues to command many of the industry’s foremost thought leaders to share their expertise 20 years on. A comprehensive educational programme of Technical Seminars also helps attendees find inspiration for new product formulations and to discover alternative solutions for existing projects.

INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS As one of the most popular areas at the show is the Innovation Zone. This offers visitors a dedicated area to source ground-breaking materials for future formulations.

Providing a sensory experience on the expo floor, attendees can test, feel and smell ingredients and formulations at the Sensory Bar, while finding inspiration for their upcoming creations. They can also discover innovative pigments and associated technologies at the Make-Up Bar. Through a range of ingredient display pods, visitors can find the latest advancements in sustainable raw materials at the interactive Sustainability Corner.

Previously hosted by personal care ingredient experts from the likes of Evonik and Azelis, a free to attend programme of interactive sessions within the Formulation Lab will provide R&D laboratory staff working for cosmetics manufacturers with exclusive secrets to put into practice when formulating.

Despite the postponement, the comprehensive programme planned for the three days will remain the same, delivering endless, free opportunities for learning through live demonstrations, the Fragrance Zone, Testing & Regulation Zone, Lab Zone, specialist country pavilions, exclusive R&D Tours and the exceptionally popular Indie Trail, which launched for the first time at in-cosmetics Global 2019.

The Global Beauty Day will also return on the second day of the 2020 show to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in the worldwide beauty industry, spanning gender, identity, ethnicity and race.•

Visit www.in-cosmetics.com/register, for more information about the show, to register to attend and to receive the latest updates from exhibitors and the organisers.

At the forefront of FRUGAL INNOVATION

As a company that has been around for the last 100 years, AECI knows what it takes to survive in an ever-changing socio-economic environment. Its product portfolio grows and adjusts to the business environment, but its people stay consistent in their commitment and engagement with customers. The team is driven by the ‘AECI Bigger’ values of being bold and engaged, innovative, going green and acting responsibly. This is evident in a series of internal developments, which, in the long run, will benefit people, the planet and the industries it serves.

ChemSystems, a business of AECI, has always been a strong player in the consumer specialities market in South Africa, servicing over 1 200 customers nationally and globally. ChemSystems’ 60-year history is built on a reputation of passion and commitment to creating lasting, relevant partnerships with its employees, customers and suppliers. Remaining agile in a tough economic environment is a key strength for its continued success.

As a proud subsidiary of AECI, ChemSystems will now be taking on a stronger AECI identity with the new name AECI Specialty Chemicals. The company will continue to provide raw materials that meet the changing demands of the personal care, home care and pharmaceutical industries.

AECI was registered in South Africa in 1924 and has been listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange since 1996. Since inception, partnerships have been at the heart of its business model – with customers as well as working closely with its technology partners across the globe. By combining core scientific expertise with a deep understanding of market needs, the company strives to deliver raw materials that are safe, effective and sustainable.

AECI is currently active in 32 countries within Africa. The AECI Specialty Chemicals business, together with its existing technology partners, will be leveraging AECI’s existing footprint to offer a complete basket of products to the personal care and home care markets in Africa.

SERVICES To expand its service offering to customers, AECI Specialty Chemicals established a new microbiological testing laboratory in 2019. The lab is fully equipped to service a variety of industries, offer global regulatory advice and a multitude of service options for customers.

According to Jacques Strydom, technical manager for personal care and home care, the lab was launched as a support function for customers, to perform hygiene audits on their premises and advise on applicable disinfectants, perform preservative challenge tests on final products and also conduct general screenings on product samples to identify possible contamination.

Besides the micro lab, AECI Specialty Chemicals also has a state-of-the-art personal care and home care applications

CHEMSYSTEMS WILL NOW BE TAKING ON A STRONGER AECI IDENTITY WITH THE NEW NAME, AECI SPECIALTY CHEMICALS

laboratory, fully equipped to formulate products from start to finish, including stability testing. This allows the technical team to swiftly test possible product replacements, make adjustments to existing customer formulations or formulate from scratch.

PRODUCT OFFERING AECI Specialty Chemicals has always believed in partnering with the right global

DID YOU KNOW? AECI Specialty Chemicals manufactures emulsifying wax concentrates, which allows cream formulations with as little as four ingredients.

suppliers. This not only puts the company in a position to offer the latest innovations, but also allows it to take advantage of the technology and expertise at its fingertips to advise and formulate with a frugal mindset. Waterless products, for instance, have become a global trend in both developed and undeveloped countries, due to the shortage and imminent scarcity of water. AECI Specialty Chemicals offers solid-format surfactants (powder, granules and needles), perfect for soap and shampoo bars, powder face wash and detergent concentrates.

Rheology modifiers can also be offered to create crystal-clear waterless hand sanitisers, as well as silicone blends that allow water- and alcohol-free perfume balms. Cold-process formulations are another hot topic for which AECI Specialty Chemicals has been preparing extensively. Polymeric emulsifiers are a big focus, allowing manufacturers to replace all emulsifiers, rheology modifiers and even emollients in an emulsion formulation (creams/lotions) with a single ingredient, which requires nothing more than water, stirring, fragrance (optional) and a preservative. These products are applicable to skin creams, lotions and milks as well as hair masks and serums.

A CREATIVE AND DRIVEN TEAM AECI Specialty Chemicals constantly strives to offer better and more sustainable solutions in every part of its business. Over the past 12 months, it has made important appointments to boost its already diverse and flexible teams, which drive internal efficiencies and monitor costs to ensure the company remains competitive within the market.

These teams have extensive product knowledge and formulation expertise to assist customers with product development and frugal innovation to reduce the complexity and cost of producing products. This high level of creativity and expertise are essential to helping customers bring their ideas to life without passing on the costs to consumers.

With its manufacturing capabilities in South Africa, AECI Specialty Chemicals is equipped to produce concentrated blends for customer-specific products. This offers added value to customers, who also benefit from the company’s basket of tailor-made solutions.

AECI Specialty Chemicals recognises that customers have different needs and that these needs change, therefore the AECI personal care and home care team, together with the creativity and innovation of the technology partners, will continue to offer win-win solutions for customers, suppliers and its own business. •

Thureya Sarlie, director, AECI Specialty Chemicals Ketul Patel, AECI Specialty Chemicals' business development manager for East Africa